Egg tray



March 8, 1932. D. o. HELjNE 1,848,717

EGG TRAY LIFTER Lied-Aug. 1931 2 Shets-Sheet 1 28 I \ll 2 4 a4 a: /s 36 38 I INVENTOR:

l David (Lifeline,

5 BY f kiw ATTORNEY,

March 8, 1932;. D. o. HELlNE 1,848,717

EGG TRAY LIFTER Filed Aug. 15, 1951 2 ShBtS-Sheh 2 INVENTOR.

.Da-uii 0. J-[eZ-ine,

ATTO RN EY.

Patented Mar. 8, 1932 Devin o. mannaor 'LinnsBoRe, KANsAs Applicationfiled August '15, 1931. SerialNoQ 55?;224..

My inventionrelates to a device whereby trays containing eggs maybe readily lifted from a shipping crate without danger of cracking or otherwise damagingsaidi eggs and my .Ob ect 1s topr'ovide a new and useful device of this characterwhich is simple in construction and'well aidapted'for the pur-- poses intended. A further object is to provide a device of this'character whereby the side walls of a tray may be lifted from thecratewithout the eggs areresting. j V

In orderthatthe invention may be fully 5 understood, reference will now be hadto the accompanying drawings, ii which:

' Fig; l is a frontelevationof the device partly in section. I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation'of the device;

Fig. .3 is a plan view ofthe device. v ,Fig. 41S a reduced front elevation ofthe device in position to lift-an egg tray from aerate, v a f Fig..5 is an enlargedbroken' sectional view taken on line 55' of Fig; 2. Referring in detail to the different parts, 2 designates. the main frame [of' the devic e which is U-shaped in plan and consists-,ofia pair of longitudinal memberst-"and atransverse member 6, which latter is rigidly connected at its ends to one endof; each longiremoving the bottom ofthe tray upon which tudinal member 4. Braces 7 extend f'rom the central portion ofthe transverse member to the intermediate portions of the longitudinal members 4 to reinforce the latter and: pre vent their free ends 9-from springing'outof their normal-position whenthe deviceis subjected to stresses such as occur when the de-, vice isin use; a I

8 designates an auxiliaryframe surmounting the main frame 2-andconsistingof uprightmembers 10 and horizontal members 12. The'upright members 10 are rigidly secured at their lower ends to the longitudinal'mem bers- 4- of the main frame 2; while the horijzontallmembe'rs- 12 are rigidly secured to the upper ends of said upright members 10 I lit designates a primary handle secured at 50 its endsto' the horizontal members '12-of-the auxiliary frame2 and whereby'the device:

maybe readily carried from placeto place:

lGde'signates a plurality of tubular sheaths one ofwhich is fixedly secured to each endbfa longitudinal. member 4. I Thesheaths; 16 5 have internally arranged springs 18' fixedly:

securedrattheir upper ends to said'sheaths by suitable means such as. rivets 20 and -provided at their lower ends with fixedly, mount:

ed spurs 22preferablyof conical configura+ 36 2lndesignates av plurality of'plungers, oneof whichis' reciprocably mounted in each sheath 16. The'upper ends of theplungers'24r are operably connected to levers -26. each of which is fulcrumed at 28' upon a post 30. The,

posts 30 areifixedly moimted at .theirslower ends upon theilongitudinal' members 4: .of the main frame 2."

The levers-26 are arranged'in pairs and'the' adjacent ends ofeach pair are operably connected to a: secondary handle 82, as best shown by Figs; 1. and The secondary handle 32 is adapted to bemanually raised and lowered; as will. hereinafter appear, ,and 7'5 is normally held in. its lowermost positionthrough the intermediary of a pair v015.comv tractile springs-34 arranged within the. 101igitudinal-='members4 ofthe main frame'2'. Each spring 34 extends under agguide sheave so 36 andis riveted or: otherwisesecured atone end to the respective longitudinal member 4 as; indicated at. '35 and attached at its opposite' end to 'a; hook 38 projecting fromthe secondary handle 32 through anap'e'rtureLO in-the upper portioniof therespective member4.

The secondary handle 32 is guided-in its upward and downward movements by ver ti'cally-disposed guide members 42 suitably 9e seured at'their ends :to the :lo'ngitudinalmem bers 4i and at their upper ends to the primary handle 14. l

In practice the deviceais grasped by the primary handle l and 'thesheaths 16: are 5 lowered into the corners of four cells; of the topmost egg tray Bin; the shipping crate 1G untilthe spurs 22 reachthe bottom a'of said tray; Suflicienti downward pressureisthen eXerted upon-the handle le'itofor ce the spurs 00 22 and the lower ends of the sheaths 16 through said bottom a to the position disclosed by Fig. 4E. The secondary handle 32 is then pulled upwardly towards the primary handle 14 as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1, to rock the levers 26 upon their fulcrums 28 and thus cause said levers to force the plungers 24; downwardly against the springs 18 which are bent as shown on Figs. 1 and 5, to normally extend into the path of said plungers. As the plungers 2a move clownwardly they cause the springs 18 to push the spurs 22 laterally as shown by dotted lines Fig. 5, so that said spurs will engage the underside of the bottom a, and lift the uppermost tray B when the device is lifted by the handles 82 and 14. lVhile the device is being lifted with one hand the crate C can be held down if necessary by the other hand of the operator. After the upper tray B has been removed from the crate C as stated, it may be deposited at any desired point by releasing the secondary handle 32 which is then immediately drawn downwardly by the springs 34: and lifts the plungers 24 through the intermediary of the levers 26. As the plungers 24 move upwardly out of engage-' ment with the springs the spurs 22 to normal position in axla alinement with the sheaths 16 so that said spurs may readily pass upwardly through the apertures which they formed in the bottom a of the tray B. The remaining trays in 18 the latter restore the crate C may then be removed one by one by repeating the operations above descrlbed.

' In some instances it may be desirable to lift the side walls of a tray B and leave the bottom a with the eggsresting thereon in the crate C. This may be readily accompllshed by lowering the device until the spurs22 rest upon the bottom a and then forcing said spurs laterally, as above described, into engagement with the adjacent side walls with sufficient pressure to enable the tray to be lifted without its bottom a.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it is apparent that I have provided a device which is well adapted for the purpose intended, and while I have shown one form of said device Ireserve all rights to such other forms an modifications thereof as properly fall within the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what to secure by Letters Pat- I claim and deslre ent, is:

1. A device of the character described con sisting of a suitable number of spurs adapted to be forced through the bottom of an egg tray, means for forcing said spurs laterally to a limited extent beneath said bottom after penetrating the same, and means for lifting said spurs while in such lateral position.

2. A device of the character described cond porting said spurs,

sisting of a suitable number of elements adapted to penetrate the bottom of an egg tray, suitably mounted sheaths beneath which said elements are disposed, spring means arranged in said sheaths to normally hold the elements directly beneath the sheaths, and means operably mounted in said sheaths for forcing said spring means laterally with said elements after the latter have penetrated the bottom of the egg tray.

3. A device of the character described consisiting of a suitable number of elements adapted to penetrate the bottom of an egg tray, suitably mounted sheaths beneath which said elements are disposed, spring means for normally holding said elements directly ,beneath the sheaths, and plungers operably mounted in the sheaths and adapted to force said spring means laterally with said elements after the latter have penetrated the bottom of the egg tray. 7 Y

l. A device of the character described consisting of a suitable number of elements adapted to penetrate the bottom of an egg tray, suitably mounted sheaths beneath which said elements are disposed, spring means for normally vholding said elements directly beneath the sheaths, plungers operably mount- 1 ed in the sheaths and adapted to force said spring means laterally with said elements after the latter have penetrated the bottom of the egg tray, and levers for actuating said plungers.

5. Adeviceof the character described c onsisting of a suitable number of elements adapted to penetrate the bottom of an egg tray, suitably mounted sheathsbeneath which said elements are disposed, spring meansfor normally holdlng said elements directly beneath the sheaths, plungers operably mount- A ed in the sheaths and adapted to force said spring means laterally with said elements after the latter have penetrated the bottom of the egg tray, levers for actuating said plungers. and a levers.

6. A device of the character described consisting of a frame, sheaths depending from said frame, spurs normally arranged directly beneath said sheaths, means and suitably actuated plungers reciprocably mounted in said sheaths and adapted to force the spurs laterally from normal position.

7 A 'device of the character described consisting of a frame, sheaths depending from said frame, spurs normally arranged beneath and in alinement with said sheaths, spring means supporting said spurs, plungers reciprocably mounted in the sheaths and adapted to contact with said springs and force the spurs laterally to a limited extent, levers for actuating said plungers, and a handle for actuating said levers 8. A device of the character described conhandle for actuating said yieldab-ly supsisting of a primary frame, sheaths depend- 7 ing from said frame, spurs normally arranged beneath and in alinement yvith said sheaths, spring means supportlng said spurs, plungers reciprocably mounted in the sheaths and adapted to contact with said springs and force the spurs laterally to-a:

sisting ofra U-shaped frame, braces for re- I inforcing said frame, members depending from said frame, penetrating elements yield ably supported beneath said depending members, and manually controlled means for forcing said penetrating elements laterally With respect to the depending members.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DAVID 0. HELINE.

frame, and guide means for 

